When you’ve got five or six 20” to 32” blades chewing through lumber simultaneously at even just 18 pieces a minute, you’re not just making a lot of truss parts—you’re creating a full-blown localized dust storm.
So what do you do when you’ve got to Feed the Beast?
A smart dust management strategy is more than a vacuum, although you need one of those too. The real key is combining active extraction with vacuum systems for airborne dust and passive containment with mechanical barriers and plastic strips to trap chips and sawdust. But beware, open overhead doors (even far away) can turn your shop into a wind tunnel, frustrating even the best strategies. [For all photos, See PDF or View in Full Issue.]
Better containment typically means higher cost. If budget matters, check with your local health and safety authorities for acceptable solutions that balance compliance and affordability.
But if money is no object, feast your eyes on the best combo of extraction and containment we’ve seen.
The first containment system photo shows the blue steel frame that was built to support the vacuum system with a “zipper duct” and “duct trolley” which works just like a Zip-Lock bag for the moveable carriage. The next picture shows a closeup of the moveable end’s zipper duct and duct trolley.
Most component saws use a flexible hose on the moveable end, and the space between the fixed end and the moveable end is open to allow hose movement. This also allows dust to escape, so a containment shroud supported from the ceiling as shown in this photo was fabricated along with plastic strips. An overhead duct and a lateral duct are used on the fixed end for added suction.
The majority of component saws have vacuum systems similar to the next one shown. Two tarps can also be added to this vacuum arrangement to allow duct movement and to help contain dust in the open space between the fixed end and the moveable end.
The next photo shows a practical combination of a permanent dust containment enclosure with seven stationary overhead 8” vacuum ducts that do not let the dust escape upwards, as can happen with a flexible duct on the moveable carriage.
Even with a bare bones passive dust containment shroud as shown below, a regular floor vacuuming regimen keeps residual dust from being stirred into the air again.
A solid dust management strategy isn’t just about active vacuum extraction for airborne particles and passive containment for sawdust and routine cleanup—it’s about all the layers working together. Each layer plays a critical role. When combined, they create a cleaner, safer, and more efficient workspace—no matter how messy your Beast eats!
When you’re ready for LimTek Process Organization Technology to improve how you Feed Your Beast, let us know! https://limteksolutions.com/#solutions